Covering device



Feb. 11, 1936.

J. A. BURGENER COVERING DEVICE Filed April 7, 1934 Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COVERING DEVICE John A. Burgener, Hinsdale, lll.

, Application April '7, 1934, Serial No. 719,525

7 Claims. (01. 229-7) This invention relates to covering devices or tops for use in connection with cartons or packages.

Numerous powdered, granular and farinaceous commodities, such as soap, salt, sugar, starch, cereals,seed's and the like, are dispensed in sealed cardboard cartons orpackages. The consumer opens the package, usually by rupturing the top as by cutting or tearing off the sameand, from time to time, removes such of the contents as are required for immediate use. The unused portion of the contents remains in the package, often for extended periods, and for obvious reasons should be protected from dust, dirt, etc. Very 1'5 few packages are provided with re-closing means.

The customary method of reclosing an opened package is to simply replace the severed top and, in some cases, to bind it in place by means of a cord or rubber band. This is inconvenient and 2o unsightly and, what is of greater consequence, it

For convenience in removing contents from the 30 package an outlet with a suitable closure is provided. The cover, moreover, may be finished in attractive colors to provide a decorative touch to the pantry or cupboard shelves, as well as to hide the torn and unsightly tops of the open 35 package- The sealing function above referred to is accomplished thru the medium of a novel interlocking arrangement of the side and end walls, which constitutes one of the main features of the 40 invention. The end walls of the cover are arranged for pivotal movement along their junction with the top member or wall and are provided with wings or flanges engaged by folds formed on the side walls. The lower edges of the 45 end walls can thus be moved in or out for a considerable distance, permitting the adjustment of the cover to accommodate packages of various sizes and further serving as gripping members for clamping the cover to the package. This ar- 50 rangement also permitsthe covers to be readily removed from emptied packages for subsequent use on new packages.

Another feature of the invention is concerned with the construction of the side walls with a fold along the lower edge thereof which Serves in Fig. 1.

both to frictionally engage the flanges on the end walls and to limit the extent of movement of the end walls.

The foregoing features and others not specifically mentioned, together with the method of 5 constructing the device comprising the invention will be described hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawing comprising Figures 1 to 5, inclusive.

Fig. 1 is a view of a partially formed cover show- 10 ing the general form of the portions cut out to permit forming into the desired shape. This figure also shows the manner in which the various parts cooperate and accomplish the functions referred to hereinbefore.

Fig. 2 is a view of the cover with the closure in place as applied to an ordinary paper package.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the cover as applied to a package.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on a plane ex- 2 tending longitudinally thru the center 'of the cover.

Fig. 5 shows a modification of a cover which provides for crosswise adjustment in addition to longitudinal adjustment.

The construction of the cover proper can be readily seen by refe-ring to Figures 1, 2 and 4.

The material used is preferably a metal of suitable strength and elasticity and is initially formed as a unitary blank. The corners are notched. to define the portions which are to constitute the side and end walls and their appurtences as shown A hole of suitable dimensions is punched in the center portion of the blank to provide an outlet. Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the portions constituting the side walls are tapered from their upper edge to a point opposite the lower edge of the end walls. Below this point extends an untapered portion 8 which is eventually folded inwardly and substantially parallel with the plane of the side wall, as will be explained subsequently. The portions of the blank which constitute the end walls 4 are provided on each side with the wings or flanges l which, after forming, lie perpendicular to the walls 4 and in the same plane as the walls 8.

With the side walls 3 and end walls 4 bent into their normal position to make an angle of 90 degrees with the top portion I, the wings I will lie along the inner faces of the side walls 3. The lower portion 8 of the side wall is now bent inwardly and folded over the wings I which are thus frictionally engaged between the fold 8 and wall 3. The fold is made at a point slightly below the end'of the tapered section previously referred to so that the bottom edges of the flanges 1 are separated by a small gap from the inner surface of the fold. The end walls can thus be moved inwardly until the inner surface engages the edge of the fold 8. The end walls may also be moved outwardly until the lower corners of the flanges T'come into contact with the fold which prevents further movement. This construction can be clearly seen in Fig. 4, wherein the relation between the flanges 1 and the folds 8 is clearly shown. It will also be noted that the upper edges of the flanges I are tapered'slightly. This is to permit the inward movement of the end walls.

The closure shown in the instant case is of the sliding type, although it will be appreciated that any suitable closure may housed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined hereinafter in the :claims. In the embodiment shown the cover portion is provided with ridges 5 in both of the side walls. Thesev ridges lie parallel with and slightly below the upper edges of the respective walls. The closure itself consists of a top portion 6 having two downwardly extending flanges II at opposite ends. The flanges are provided with grooves so spaced as to ride over-the ridges 5 in the side walls which thus serve to guide the closure between open and closed positions. An indentation l0 in the top portion of the slide or closure provides a means for readily moving the closure from open to closed position." Further, this indentation acts as a stop to limit the movement of the slide member in both directions of travel, thereby preventing the slide from being accidentally pushed off of the guiding ridges.

Referringnow to Fig. 5, it'will be seen that .the embodiment of the invention shown herein is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 2

with respect to the interlocking of the side and lower edge is afold (not shown), which engages' the overlapping edge of the end wall 4 in thev same manner as the flanges l are engaged by the folds 8. The wall section l2'is provided with a flange! 3 similar to the flanges I which is engaged by the fold 8 in the same manner and for the same purpose as in the construction heretofore described. This arrangement permits the lower edge of the cover to be adjusted crosswise in substantially the same manner as is done longitudinally, thus permitting the cover to be applied etfectively to packages of 'difierent sizes, both as to length and. width.

What is claimed is;

l. Asheet metal top cover for food packages and the like made of cardboard and intended to be opened by rupturing the top of the package, said cover comprising a top wall substantially conand'movable relative to -each other so as to grip the sides of the package.

2. A sheet metal top cover for food packages and the like made of cardboard and intended to be opened by rupturing the top of the package, said cover comprising a top wall substantially conforming in size to the top of the package to which the cover is to be applied, an outlet in said top wall through which the contents of the package may be removed with the cover in place on the package, and means depending from saidtop wall and engageable with the sides of the package to retain the cover in position thereon, said means including opposed gripping members movable relative to each other to grip the sides of the package.

3. A sheet metal top cover. for food packages and the like made of card board and intended to be opened by rupturing the top of the package, said cover comprising a top wall substantially conforming in size to the top of the package to which the cover is to be applied, means depending from said top wall and engageable with the sides of the package to retain the cover in position thereon, said means including opposed gripping members carried by the top'wall and movable relative to each other to grip the sides of the package, and means on adjacent members cooperating to maintain the members in gripping position.

4, A sheet metal top cover for food packages and the like made of cardboard and intended to conforming in size to the top of the package to which the cover is to be applied, means depending from said top wall and engageable with the sides of the package to retain the cover in position thereon, said means including opposed gripping members carried by the top wall and movable relative to each other to grip the sides of the package, and means on one of said members frictionally engageable by cooperating means on an adjacent member to maintain said one member in gripping position.

5'. A sheet metal top cover for food packages and the like made of cardboard and intended to be opened by rupturing the top of the package, said cover comprising a rectangular top wall substantially conforming to the dimensions of the top of the package to which the cover is to be applied, side walls and end walls depending from said top wall, said end walls being movable relative to eachother to bring them into frictional engagement with the sides of the package to grip the same and to provide a relatively tight seal between the package and the cover and thereby substantially prevent spilling of the package contents around the sides of the package, and means 5 l the packag s to which the cover is to be applied,

side walls and end walls depending from said top member, certain of said walls being movable relative to the other walls to bring them into tight engagement with the sides of a package and to closing cardboard packages of different sizes after the tops of the packages have been ruptured or removed, said cover comprising a top member adapted to abut against the upper edges of the package sides, side members and end members depending from said top member to form a con-' tinuous wall around the upper part of the package, and means for varying the relative spacing between the free edges of oppositely disposed end members to adjust the wall to conform to the size of the package to which it is applied and thus eflectively close the package.

JOHN A. BURGENER. 

